Make Spina’s Farfalle With Chanterelle Mushrooms & Speck

July 6, 2009

A trip to Naples can ruin pizza for you for life. The same can be true of pasta… Unless you live in New York. Neapolitans have been coming to our fair city to replicate the amazing pizzas and pastas of their homeland for decades.

One such Neapolitan is Roberto Patriarca, who after stints at I Trulli and Maremma, recently opened Spina in Alphabet City. He shares his recipe for Farfalle With Chanterelle Mushrooms and Speck.

But first, just how hard is it to make pasta the way mama used to make back in Naples?

“That’s a tough question,” says Patriarca. “People often equate what they ate with where they ate it. Naples, where I grew up, is a beautiful city and will always have a special place in my heart.

“What I am trying to do with my food at Spina is give people the closest representation of Neapolitan food that I can. This is why we chose to use fresh homemade pasta for all our pastas. I want people to think of Spina as a place where they can have a taste of Naples.”

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the farfalle, and cook until al dente. The individual bowties will float when they’re done. Drain the pasta.

In a frying pan, saute the speck and chanterelle mushrooms in olive oil. Once the speck starts to brown, add the butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the wine. Once the wine reduces, slowly stir in the cream.